Shaving unit for safety razor

ABSTRACT

The specific disclosure provides three superimposed double edge razor blades bonded together as a shaving unit. The cutting edges of the top and bottom blades are set back a slight distance from the cutting edges of the middle blade. In one embodiment, spacers are permanently positioned between the top and middle blades, and between the middle and bottom blades.

United States Patent [1 1 1111 3,842,502

Hagan Oct. 22, 1974 I SHAVING UNIT FOR SAFETY RAZOR Inventor: Ward S. Hagan, Morristown, NJ.

Assignee: Warner-Lambert Company, Morris Plains, NJ.

Filed: Dec. 21, 1973 Appl. Nb; 427,180

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Hulverscheidt 30/50 Tomek 30/34659 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 772,532 4/1957 Great Britain 30/50 Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assistant ExaminerGary L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James F. Powers, .Ir.; Albert H. Graddis [57] ABSTRACT The specific disclosure provides three superimposed double edge razor blades bonded together as a shaving unit. The cutting edges of the top and bottom blades are set back a slight distance from the cutting edges of the middle blade. In one embodiment, spacers are permanently positioned between the top and middle blades, and between the middle and bottom blades.

16 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures mtamsanmz 3.842.502

SHEET 20$ 2 I SHAVING UNIT FOR SAFETY RAZOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to shaving units having a plurality of cutting edges for use in a safety razor. More particularly, the present invention relates to safety razor shaving units having a plurality of double cutting edge members bonded together.

2. Description of the Prior Art Double edge safety razors are well known in the art, and are in many forms. For example, US. Pat. Nos. 2,319,980, 3,293,745, 3,466,746 and 3,708,879 disclose a three-piece razor, a razor having sectional caps, an adjustable razor and a razor having a hinged cap, respectively. Such double edge razors act to clamp a thin, flexible double edge razor blade in the razor head with each cutting edge oriented with respect to a guard bar surface.

U.K. Pat. No. 772,532 discloses a shaving unit having two double edge razor blades which are vertically separated by a flexible spacer. The cutting edges of the top blade are set back a slight distance from the cutting edges of the bottom blade to provide tandemly arranged cutting edges on each side of the shaving unit.

A large number of double edge razor users remove the blade from the razor when cleaning the razor, and may tend to invert the blade prior to returning the blade to the razor. Further, some double edge blades are individually wrapped for sale in the consumer market.

It will be noted that when the shaving unit of U.I(. Pat. No. 772,532 is inverted, the cutting edges of the set-back cutting edges will not contact a skin surface and will therefore be inoperative. Thus, a user of a shaving unit such as disclosed in U.K. Pat. No. 772,532 must exercise care to insure that the shaving unit is not inverted when placed in the razor head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shaving unit for a safety razor comprising a first member having a pair of opposite cutting edge sides. A second member having opposite cutting edge sides is positioned above the first member with the cutting edges of the second member set back a slight distance from the cutting edges of the first member. A third member having opposite cutting edge sides is positioned below the first member with the cutting edges of the third member also set back a slight distance from the cutting edges of the first member. Means are provided for permanently connecting said first, second and third members together.

In accordance with a specific aspect of the present invention, the first member is bonded to the second and third members.

In accordance with another specific aspect of the present invention, means are provided between the first member and the second member and between the first member and the third member for vertically spacing the second and third members from the first member.

A shaving unit constructed in accordance with the present invention provides tandemly arranged blades ready for use irrespective of the inverted orientation of the shaving unit in a razor head. Thus, a user does not have to be concerned about the orientation of the unit in the razor head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, one representative embodiment of the present invention has first, second and third members 80, 81, 82 in the form of double cutting edge razor blades, and means in the form of spacer elements 84, 85 for vertically spacing the second and third members 81, 82 from the first member 80. The blades 80, 81, 82 and the spacer elements 84, 85 are permanently connected together by welds 101-104 diagrammatically represented by dashed circles at each end of transverse perforations or slots 96-100 formed in the blades 80, 81, 82 and the spacer elements 84, 85.

As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the cutting edges 88, 89; 90, 91 of the top and bottom blades 81; 82 are set back a slight distance from the cutting edges 86, 87 of the middle blade 80. The distance between the cutting edges 88, 89 of the top blade 81 is equal to the distance between the cutting edges 90, 91 of the bottom blade. Further, the cutting edges 88, 89; 90, 91 of the top and bottom blades 81; 82 are parallel to the cutting edges 86, 87 of the middle blade 80.

Each one of the spacer elements 84; 85 has a pair of blunt surfaces 92, 93; 94, 95 set back a slight distance from cutting edges 88, 89; 90, 91 of the top and bottom blades 81; 82 to leave the cutting edges 86-91 of the blades 80-82 free and unobstructed.

FIG. 3 shows the shaving unit seated and clamped in a double edge safety razor having a handle 118, a center-bar and stem assembly extending upwardly from the handle 118 and sectional caps 112, 113. The center-bar and stem assembly 110 is fitted through the perforations 96 100. The sectional caps 112, 113 act to bias the shaving unit on a blade seat 114, 115-with the cutting edges 87, 89; 86, 88 the top and middle blades 81, 80 tandemly arranged on each side of the razor with respect to guard bar surfaces 116, 117. FIG.

3 illustrates that the cutting edges 90, 91 of the bottom blade 82 are not in use. However, when the shaving unit is reversed, the cutting edges 90, 91 will be on top and tandemly with the middle blade cutting edges 86, 87.

FIG. 3 also illustrates that when the blades 80-82 and spacer elements 84, 85 are bonded at the ends of the slots 96-100 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is a slight relative movement between the cutting edges 86-91 and the spacer blunt surfaces 92-95.

The blades 80-82 and spacer elements 84, 85 can be composed of martensitic stainless steel commonly used for razor blades. The thickness of each of the blades 80-82 and of each of the spaces 84, 85 can be 0.004 inches, and the distance between the cutting edges 88, 89; 90, 91 of the top and bottom blades 81, 82 can be 0.826 inches. In this embodiment, the distance between the cutting edges 86, 87 of the middle blade can suitably be 0.863 inches.

As noted above, the blunt surfaces 92, 93; 94, 95 of the spacer elements are set back from the cutting edges 88, 89; 90, 91 of the top and bottom blades 81; 82. A suitable blunt-edge-to-blunt-edge spacer distance for the embodiment of the preceding paragraph is 0.78 inches.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein a top double cutting edge razor blade 120 is bonded directly to the top of a middle double cutting edge razor blade 121, and wherein a bottom double cutting edge razor blade 122 is bonded directly to an undersurface of the middle blade 121. The cutting edges 123, 124; 127, 128 of the top and bottom blades 120, 122 are set back a slight distance from the cutting edges 125, 126 of the middle blade 121.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has symmetrically beveled surfaces forming the cutting edges of the blades 120-122. However, it is contemplated that the angle of the beveled cutting edge surfaces of the top and bottom blades 120, 122 immediately adjacent to the middle blade 121 can be increased with respect to the horizontal plane of the middle blade 121 to increase the vertical distance of the cutting edges of the top and bottom blades from the middle blade 121.

The components of the shaving units can be bonded together by spot projection, arc, laser or other welding techniques, or by adhesives. Further, the components can alternatively be bonded by any one of these techniques on each side of the unit between the slots 96-100 and the cutting edges 86-91.

What is claimed is:

1. A shaving unit for a safety razor, said shaving unit comprising:

a. a first member including a pair of opposite sides,

each one of the first member opposite sides having a cutting edge;

b. a second member including a pair of opposite sides, each one of the second member opposite sides having a cutting edge, said second member being positioned above said first member with the cutting edges of said second member being positioned upwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first member;

0. a third member including a pair of opposite sides, each one of the third member opposite sides having a cutting edge, said third member being positioned below said first member with the cutting edges of said third member being positioned downwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first member; and

d. means for permanently connecting said first member, said second member and said third member together.

2. The shaving unit of claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises means for bonding said second member and said third member to said first member.

3. The shaving unit of claim 2 wherein the cutting edges of said second member and of said third member are parallel to the cutting edges of said first member.

4. The shaving unit of claim 3 wherein the cutting edges of said second member are spaced apart a predetermined distance, and wherein the cutting edges of said third member are spaced apart said predetermined distance.

5. The shaving unit of claim 4 wherein said first member, said second member and said third member are thin, metallic members.

6. The shaving unit of claim 5 wherein at least one perforation extends through said second member, said first member and said third member for locating the shaving unit in the safety razor.

7. The shaving unit of claim 5 wherein an elongated, transverse slot extends through said second member, said first member and said third member for locating the shaving unit in the safety razor.

8. The shaving unit of claim 1 further comprising first means between said second member and said first member for vertically spacing said second member and said first member, and second means between said third member and said first member for vertically spacing said third member and said first member.

9. The shaving unit of claim 8 wherein said connecting means comprises means for bonding said first means to said second member and to said first member, and for bonding said second means to said third member and to said first member.

10. The shaving unit of claim 9 wherein the cutting edges of said second member and of said third member are parallel to the cutting edges of said first member.

11. The shaving unit of claim 10 wherein the cutting edges of said second member are spaced apart a predetermined distance, and wherein the cutting edges of said third member are spaced apart said predetermined distance.

12. The shaving unit of claim 11 wherein said first member, said second member and said third member are thin, metallic members.

13. The shaving unit of claim 12 wherein at least one perforation extends through said second member, said first member and said third member for locating the shaving unit in the safety razor.

14. The shaving unit of claim 13 wherein an elongated, transverse slot extends through said second member, said first member and said third member for locating the shaving unit in the safety razor.

15. A shaving unit for a safety razor, said shaving unit comprising:

a. a first double cutting edge razor blade,

b. a first spacer member above said first blade,

c. a second double cutting edge razor blade above said first spacer member, the cutting edges of said second blade being spaced upwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first blade,

d. a second spacer member below said first blade,

e. a third double cutting edge razor blade below said second spacer member, the cutting edges of said third blade being spaced downwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first blade, and

f. means for permanently connecting said second blade, said first spacer member, said first blade, said second spacer member and said third blade together.

16. A shaving unit for a safety razor, said shaving unit comprising:

a. a first double cutting edge razor blade,

b. a second double cutting edge razor blade above said first blade, the cutting edges of said second blade being spaced upwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first blade,

c. a third double cutting edge razor blade below said first blade, the cutting edges of said third blade being spaced downwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first blade, and

d. means for permanently connecting said second blade, said first blade and said third blade together. 

1. A shaving unit for a safety razor, said shaving unit comprising: a. a first member including a pair of opposite sides, each one of the first member opposite sides having a cutting edge; b. a second member including a pair of opposite sides, each one of the second member opposite sides having a cutting edge, said second member being positioned above said first member with the cutting edges of said second member being positioned upwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first member; c. a third member including a pair of opposite sides, each one of the third member opposite sides having a cutting edge, said third member being positioned below said first member with the cutting edges of said third member being positioned downwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first member; and d. means for permanently connecting said first member, said second member and said third member together.
 2. The shaving unit of claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises means for bonding said second member and said third member to said first member.
 3. The shaving unit of claim 2 wherein the cutting edges of said second member and of said third member are parallel to the cutting edges of said first member.
 4. The shaving unit of claim 3 wherein the cutting edges of said second member are spaced apart a predetermined distance, and wherein the cutting edges of said third member are spaced apart said predetermined distance.
 5. The shaving unit of claim 4 wherein said first member, said second member and said third member are thin, metallic members.
 6. The shaving unit of claim 5 wherein at least one perforation extends through said second member, said first member and said third member for locating the shaving unit in the safety razor.
 7. The shaving unit of claim 5 wherein an elongated, transverse slot extends through said second member, said first member and said third member for locating the shaving unit in the safety razor.
 8. The shaving unit of claim 1 further comprising first means between said second member and said first member for vertically spacing said second member and said first member, and second means between said third member and said first member for vertically spacing said third member and said first member.
 9. The shaving unit of claim 8 wherein said connecting means comprises means for bonding said first means to said second member and to said first member, and for bonding said second means to said third member and to said first member.
 10. The shaving unit of claim 9 wherein the cutting edges of said second member and of said third member are parallel to the cutting edges of said first member.
 11. The shaving unit of claim 10 wherein the cutting edges of said second member are spaced apart a predetermined distance, and wherein the cutting edges of said third member are spaced apaRt said predetermined distance.
 12. The shaving unit of claim 11 wherein said first member, said second member and said third member are thin, metallic members.
 13. The shaving unit of claim 12 wherein at least one perforation extends through said second member, said first member and said third member for locating the shaving unit in the safety razor.
 14. The shaving unit of claim 13 wherein an elongated, transverse slot extends through said second member, said first member and said third member for locating the shaving unit in the safety razor.
 15. A shaving unit for a safety razor, said shaving unit comprising: a. a first double cutting edge razor blade, b. a first spacer member above said first blade, c. a second double cutting edge razor blade above said first spacer member, the cutting edges of said second blade being spaced upwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first blade, d. a second spacer member below said first blade, e. a third double cutting edge razor blade below said second spacer member, the cutting edges of said third blade being spaced downwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first blade, and f. means for permanently connecting said second blade, said first spacer member, said first blade, said second spacer member and said third blade together.
 16. A shaving unit for a safety razor, said shaving unit comprising: a. a first double cutting edge razor blade, b. a second double cutting edge razor blade above said first blade, the cutting edges of said second blade being spaced upwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first blade, c. a third double cutting edge razor blade below said first blade, the cutting edges of said third blade being spaced downwardly and inwardly of the cutting edges of said first blade, and d. means for permanently connecting said second blade, said first blade and said third blade together. 